Conventional broadcast television relies on a receiving television set being tuned to a desired channel. Content is broadcast on many channels, and a given television may simply tune to a selected channel. Currently, many television providers are offering streaming television. Streaming television is programming that is sent to a receiver set when requested, or on-demand. This is also known as video on demand or, VOD. One of the more well known forms of VOD is pay-per-view, where a user selects content from a list, and purchases this content to be viewed at that particular moment. Thus, only one channel of content is provided to that user, which considerably reduces bandwidth usage over conventional broadcast television. With VOD there is two-way communication between a receiver and content provider. Typically this capability is provided by a set-top device connected to a television.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional VOD system 100. VOD system 100 includes a server system 101 and a client system 111, the two of which are connected by an access network 110. Server system 101 provides VOD content through access network 110 to be consumed by client system 111.
Server system 101 includes a stream controller 102, a VOD server 104, a video processor 108 and a database 106. Stream controller 102 coordinates the timing of a content package provided by server 101. VOD server 104 receives requests for content and provides a content package, corresponding to the requested content, via video processor 108. Video processor 108 receives data from VOD server 104 and prepares and sends the data through access network 110 following the proper protocols. Video processor 108 also receives requests through access network 110 and forwards these requests to VOD server 108. Database 106 stores content and advertisements.
Client system 111 includes a set-top unit 114, an input device 112 and a television 116. Set-top unit 114 receives input commands from input device 112 and sends the requests through access network 110 to server system 101. Set-top unit 114 additionally converts data signals to audio/video content and outputs the data to television 116.
Upon receipt of instructions, such as changing to a new channel, set-top unit 114 sends them upstream through access network 110 to video processor 108. Video processor 108 converts the instruction stream to a form VOD server 104 can interpret and sends the instructions to VOD server 104. VOD server 104 interprets the request and pulls the requested content from database 106.
The content may be any video or audio, non-limiting examples of which include, movies, music, games, etc. Further, the content may be pre-assembled with advertisements disposed therein, or stream controller 102 might insert advertisements into requested content. The combination of content and advertisements, if included, is the content package. An advertisement may be any video or audio that is not the content, non-limiting examples of which include commercials. By whichever conventional method a content package is assembled, stream controller 102 maintains pointers to where advertisements are placed throughout a content package, as described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example content package 200, which corresponds to a requested program that VOD server 104 might send through video processor 108. Content package 200 includes program portions 202, 204, 206 and 208 and advertisement portions 210, 212, 214 and 216. The program would start at time 218 and would end at time 220. The program is interrupted: at time 222 to play an advertisement corresponding to advertisement portion 210; at time 224 to play two advertisements corresponding to advertisement portions 212 and 214; and at time 226 to play an advertisement corresponding to advertisement portion 216. Content package 200 may include pointers, not shown, that direct set-top unit 114 to times 204, 208, 210 and so forth. Stream controller 102 arranges content package 200 with timing information, such as pointers, for real time operations.
Once a content package is properly assembled by stream controller 102, VOD server 104 sends the content package to video processor 108. Video processor 108 converts the content package to data packets that can be sent to client 111 through access network 110. Set-top unit 114 receives the data packets and converts the same to audio and video signals for playback on television 116.
Set-top unit 114 may perform many functions on the audio and video signals including pausing, playing, rewinding and fast-forwarding.
Conventionally, most advertising is accomplished by linearly inserting an advertisement within a program, i.e., a linear insertion. VOD and streaming broadcast content may incorporate different forms of overlays in addition to linearly inserted advertising. A graphically overlayed advertisement, or graphic overlay, is an advertisement that is disposed so as to cover at least a portion of the current program.
FIG. 3 illustrates display 116 having a current program 300 displayed thereon. The current program has an overlay 302 of other content. The overlay 302 “overlays” at least a portion of current program 300. Some non-limiting examples of overlays include a poster advertisement, a document, or a video advertisement being played on top of the program.
Another example of an overlay might include a squeezeback, wherein the advertisement would compress to a certain section of the screen, such as a corner or along the bottom. FIG. 4 illustrates an example squeezeback. In the figure, an advertisement 404 and a program 402 are each “squeezed back” to separate portions of display 116 to enable a user to view each in its entirety.
A problem with conventional advertisement methods is that a viewer may not want to waste time watching all of every advertisement. Some conventional technologies enable a view to skip advertisements in their entirety. However, with such technologies, a user may unknowingly skip an advertisement that the user would have otherwise wanted to view.
What is needed is a system and method that may enable the user to enjoy content provided by a provider, wherein the content includes advertisements therein, and wherein the user is able to control the advertisements to which the user may otherwise be exposed.